Island



AQo. GREENE, Decd.

W. B. WIGHTMAN, administrator. GARMENT SUPPORTER.

No. 255,108. Patented Mar. 21,1882.

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I UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ALBERT O. GREENE, ()F PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND; WILLIAM B. WIGHT- MAN,ADMINISTRATOR OF SAID GREENE,'DECEASED.

GARMENT-SUPPORTER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 255,108, dated March21, 1882.

Application filed June 10, 1881. (No model.) I

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALBERT C. GREENE, a citizen of the United States,residing in the city and county ,of Providence, in the State of RhodeIsland, have invented a new and useful Garment-Supporter, of which thefollowing is a specification.

My invention relates to a garment-supporter which is formed of acontinuous wire bent at its center to form a clamp with parallel sides,and adjacent t-oits ends to form atapering neck, which is embraced by astrap collar or slide, moving which along the neck allows said clampwith parallel sides to open and close to engage or release the portionof the garment inserted in said clamp. The wire at its upper free endsis bent outwardly, and at. the narrow portion of the neck has shouldersor bent projections, which, as well as the outwardlybent' ends,l'ormstops for the slide and determine the length of its movement on thetapering neck. The band or slide is provided with recesses on its upperedge, which receive and shut over the outwardly-bent ends of the wireand shield them from contact with the garment. The slide is furtherstrengthened and held in place by a re-enforce,

which prevents sufficient backward movement of the wire to free theslide from the outwardly-bent ends. The supporter is attached to thegarment by passing the material through the slide and securing it sothat it will engage one side only of the slide. The wire is sufficientlysoft to bend on itself and sufficiently elastic to throw outward againstthe slide. It is so bent that in its normal position, when released fromthe slide or collar, the sides of the clamp will separate. The clamp isclosed by movingthe slide orcollar up along the tapering neck. It isessential that the wire be elastic.

In the drawings, Figure 1 shows the sup porter closed. Fig. 3 shows itopen and in its normal position. Fig. 2is an edge view. Fig. 4 is a topview. Fig. 5 is a section on line X X of Fig. 4.

AA is the spring-clamp, between which the material to be held isinserted. B B form the tapering neck, and are provided with the outwardly-turned ends b b and the shoulders or bulges b b. The collar 0embraces the sides B B, and is provided with recesses c c, which receiveand shield the outwardly-turned ends I) b. It is also provided with there-enforce O, which strengthens the collar 0, and, in connection withthe inner sides or edges of the collar, forms guideways for the arms BB, as shown in Fig. 5, and prevents the collar from becoming detachedfrom the arms. The supporter is attached to the garment or elastic orother band S by passing the said band or other material through thecollar 0 and sewing it in the loop of the material so formed, the loopand said collar then moving together vertically along the neck B B,between the outwardlyturned ends I) b and the shoulders b b. In case thecollar is fastened to an unelastic band, it is evident that the claspitself will slide up through the collar, in order to open the parallelsides of the clamp A A. The clamp being ,in its normal position, thematerial to be held is inserted, and then the collar or slide 0 ispushed up along the tapering arms B B until stopped by theoutwardly-turned ends b b, at which time the spring-clamp will have beenbrought together, so as firmly to retain the inserted material.

Garment-supporters have been heretofore made and sold of unelastic orannealed wire and with a tapering or wedge-shaped slot as a means ofholding. Such devices are not new, and I do, not claim the same as anypart of my invention. Clamps have also been heretofore made in whichthere are in wardly-turned jaws shut together by a sliding ring andholding theinterposed goods by the inward-turnedjaws pressing orpenetrating the material. Such device is well known, and is in commonusein icetongs, architects dividers, calipers, 850., and I do not claimthe same as my invention. Prior to m y invention supporters have neverbeen enlargement of the slot would be fatal to their efficiency. Neither(loI claim a V-sb ape clamp, as such device is not new.

In case my invention is to be applied to thick heavy goods, it is bestto make the opening between the sides of the spring-clamp largerthroughout its length, so that the material can be inserted therein andthe sides brought 'togetber to clamp it.

What Ido claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent,is

1. A garment-supporter consisting of a wire bent in its middle to formaspring-clamp, with parallel sides A A, and adjacent to its free ends toform a tapering neck, B B, combined with a movable collar, 0, whichopens and closes said jaw as it is moved to and fro along the neck B Bbetween the outwardly-turned ends I) b and the shoulders I) b, andholding the cloth by the clamping together of the parallel 2o jaw sidesA A.

2. In a garment-supporter. a spring-clamp having a tapering neck, B B,provided with outwardly-turned ends I) b and shoulders bb, combined witha movable collar, 0, )rovided 25 with recesses c c to engage said endsI), and adapted to slide to and fro along said neck between said ends 11b and shoulders I) b.

ALBERT G. GREENE.

Witnesses:

HENRY MARsH, Jr., WALTER F. ANGELL.

